In the city of Santander in Cantabria, Spain lies the Gran Casino del Sardinero, a historical casino and hotel establishment that stands in the place of the popular casino and theatre before it. The casino overlooks the Cantabrian Sea, offering views of the beach and the Piquio Gardens from its balconies.

The casino itself is based in the Plaza Italia in El Sardinero, and the Gran Casino del Sardinero has been in operation in this same location for over 100 years, making it an important part of the regional history of Santander.

History of the Gran Casino del Sardinero

The original site of the Gran Casino del Sardinero was first the site of another casino which was very popular with esteemed royal guests, but the casino in question was destroyed in a fire during the 1890’s.

The current Gran Casino del Sardinero was built in its place after being designed by Eloy Martinez del Valle, and the establishment opened for business in 1916. At the time of its opening, the casino offered a unique combination of baccarat and roulette casino games with plays, musicals and operas at its theatre.

Casino Restoration and Reopening

The Gran Casino del Sardinero was closed for business during the post-war period in Spain, reopening only in 1978. Just before the casino reopened it was redecorated and restored by the architect Ricardo Lorenzo, who maintained the establishment’s neoclassical style and added a few more modern aspects as well.

The venue reopened as a gambling establishment which offered casino gaming rooms, slot machines, bars, cafes and other amenities for its visitors.

The Gran Casino del Sardinero Today

Today, the Gran Casino del Sardinero offers a slots machine room, a casino table games room, 2 bars, a cafe and a party room. In total, the casino houses over 40 slots and video poker machines and more than 17 casino table games.

The table games available to be played at the casino include blackjack, roulette, and poker, with Texas Hold’em poker tournaments being hosted more recently by the casino.

The Gran Hotel Sardinero

The Gran Hotel Sardinero is a part of the Gran casino del Sardinero, offering hotel accommodation to guests at the casino. The Gran Hotel Sardinero houses over 102 rooms and suites in total, as well as its own snack bar and cafe, an in-house restaurant, and guest amenities such as complimentary Wi-Fi and room service.

The hotel also contains facilities for conferences and events, including two private rooms for weddings. The conference facilities at the Gran Hotel Sardinero can seat up to 350 people and banquets and other events can be arranged beforehand with the hotel.

Cultural and Sporting Events

A showroom on the premises is used to showcase art and sculptures from local artists, and the Gran Casino del Sardinero is also known to host and sponsor a number of cultural and sports events. These include painting and sculpture exhibits, photographic competitions, and football, bowling and rowing contests.

Nearby tours and sightseeing can also be arranged for those that wish to see local cultural attractions in Santander and surrounding regions.